


Confidence

by Yvi



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: sg_femslash, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-23
Updated: 2009-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-03 15:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yvi/pseuds/Yvi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prompt: When she sings it's like a blue dove on a whipping post/When she speaks she thanks the good lord for the holy ghost" by scarletts_awry in the sg_femslash Teyla mini-ficathon</p></blockquote>





	Confidence

What Elizabeth really liked was to hear Teyla speak. It didn't matter so much what Teyla said; it was more her voice itself, the confidence, the deep knowledge and understanding. It almost never faltered. There was something reassuring in her voice, no matter how bad things looked or how hopeless Elizabeth felt; she could always count on Teyla to make everything seem so much better.

Of course, Teyla had been raised a leader. A leader needed to show confidence. Elizabeth had been trained in that as well. But Teyla did it with such ease that Elizabeth couldn't help but feel jealous from time to time - when all she wanted to do was not get up and not face another disaster, another loss. But those were the times that Teyla kept her going.

Elizabeth was far from weak. But you could only lose so many people, whether they were particularly close to you or not, and not wonder...

"Stop it."

Elizabeth flinched at the interruption and abruptly turned her head in the direction the voice was coming from. The voice that could be so soft, but now was demanding.

"What?" Her tone was harsh, she could feel it. Too harsh. Being startled did that to her, and she had somehow forgotten that Teyla was still in her quarters. Normally, they left the other's quarters and showered at their own. It was better not to spend too much time together.

"Brooding. Thinking dark thoughts. It is not the time for that now." Teyla's hair was still damp, a towel wrapped around her shoulders to keep her clothes from getting wet.

Elizabeth let out a small sigh and got up from the chair she had been sitting on. "I'm not brooding. I'm just thinking."

"There is no _just_ thinking with you," Teyla said, sitting down on the bed, one leg tucked beneath her. "Not at times like these."

Elizabeth was still standing at the wall opposite Teyla. Of course Teyla was right. She usually was. The way Teyla understood her almost made Elizabeth smile. "No, I suppose there isn't."

Would you rather not sit with me?"

It was a question, but like everything Teyla said there was some underlying authority. But also, a sense of comfort, an invitation to come and be relieved of some of the burden, to feel better. It was an invitation that had drawn Elizabeth to Teyla in the first place and she had never regretted it. It complicated things and she worried about her, but... it was worth it. She sat down on the bed next to Teyla, leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Don't blame yourself, Elizabeth," Teyla whispered. A hand brushed Elizabeth's knee and another hand rested on her shoulder. She could feel the warmth of Teyla's skin through her clothes. The first hand continued stroking her knee. "There was nothing more you could have done. There was nothing more anyone could have done."

"I know."

Yes, Elizabeth knew. Intellectually, she knew it to be true.

"I would respectfully disagree with that." Elizabeth could see Teyla's smirk without actually having to open her eyes. But Teyla became serious again very fast. "Look at me, Elizabeth."

There was just no point in ignoring that request. From the look in Teyla's eyes, there was a serious talk coming.

"You might know it, but you don't yet want to believe it. I hope you will one day believe it. I know you will." The hand was lifted off Elizabeth's shoulder and gently cupped her cheek. "You are one of the strongest people I know. You can be so strong and yet forgiving. I hope that one day, you can be just as forgiving with yourself."

Elizabeth didn't answer. There was no need to. She rested her head on Teyla's shoulder, leaning on her both physically and emotionally. It wasn't only Teyla's voice giving her comfort - it was everything about her. She'd lean on her for a little time until she faced the world again, with new strength.

"I'll stay the night."

Elizabeth could only nod and thank whoever or whatever was out there for letting her meet Teyla.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: When she sings it's like a blue dove on a whipping post/When she speaks she thanks the good lord for the holy ghost" by scarletts_awry in the sg_femslash Teyla mini-ficathon


End file.
